Knowledge about Wisdom Teeth
The concept of wisdom teeth
Wisdom teeth, also known as “third molars”, refer to the four third molars on the innermost part of the alveolar bone, one on the upper, lower, left, and left sides. It usually grows after the age of 16. Because at this age, people are close to maturity physically and psychologically, and it is the last tooth to erupt, so it is named wisdom tooth, which symbolizes “the arrival of wisdom”.
However, contrary to its beautiful implication, since the jawbone gradually becomes smaller during the growth and evolution of human beings, the space left for wisdom teeth will gradually decrease accordingly. Usually the last wisdom tooth to erupt will lead to impacted wisdom teeth due to lack of space, which will bring us a series of hazards.
What are the dangers of wisdom teeth?
Impacted wisdom teeth, that is, wisdom teeth that can only partially erupt or cannot erupt at all, may cause a series of clinical hazards, among which the common hazards are:
1. Recurrent pericoronitis
Wisdom tooth pericoronitis is the most common hazard, mainly due to the formation of “blind pockets” between the soft tissue around the wisdom tooth crown and the tooth, causing the accumulation of food and bacteria.
Patients with wisdom tooth pericoronitis usually have some systemic symptoms such as local swelling, pain, pus overflow and even fever.
Wisdom tooth pericoronitis can be plain and ordinary and can be cured by anti-inflammatory treatment, but it can also be very dangerous. If not actively treated, wisdom tooth pericoronitis can lead to infection of the maxillofacial space.
Tips: It should be noted that severe wisdom teeth can cause a high probability of interstitial infection, and may even cause serious complications such as sepsis and septicemia, endangering the patient’s life.
2. Damage to adjacent teeth
Impacted wisdom teeth, such as wisdom teeth that grow forward, will form an open gap with adjacent teeth, which is easy to accumulate food residues and is not easy to clean. Over time, it can lead to caries of adjacent teeth and even lead to pulpitis. Or the root or distal bone resorption of adjacent teeth due to compression.
3. Temporomandibular joint disorder
Because impacted wisdom teeth cannot establish a normal occlusal relationship with the opposing teeth, over time it can cause symptoms such as temporomandibular joint snapping, mouth opening pain, and night bruxism.
4. Other special circumstances
For example, impacted wisdom teeth may compress the nerves during the growth process and become the focus of some neuralgia. Or the impacted wisdom teeth of cancer patients were not extracted before radiotherapy, and if infection occurs later, it may lead to radiation-induced jaw osteomyelitis or even osteonecrosis.
When do wisdom teeth need to be removed?
Impacted wisdom teeth, or symptomatic wisdom teeth, should be extracted as early as possible.
It is usually recommended to extract wisdom teeth before the age of 25, because before this age, the wisdom teeth have just erupted, and the roots are usually not fully stabilized, and the effect on the inferior alveolar canal is also small, and the resistance to the extraction of wisdom teeth at this time is relatively small.
In addition, since most wisdom teeth have almost no masticatory function, and in view of the possible harm it may cause, preventive extraction of asymptomatic wisdom teeth can also be considered.
To sum up, after knowing so much basic knowledge about wisdom teeth, what should you pay attention to in the process of wisdom teeth extraction?
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